The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation
The Deena Jo Heide-Diesslin Foundation (DJHD Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) private grantmaking foundation headquartered in Keller, Texas, with an office address at 764 Bandit Trail, Keller, TX 76248. The Foundation was established in 2011 and is dedicated to honoring the memory of Deena Jo Heide-Diesslin through strategic charitable giving focused on empowering women and girls and providing humanitarian aid.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.6M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$584K
-38.5% YoY
Grant Count
4
-50.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$146K
+22.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $789K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's guiding principle is "a rising tide lifts all ships." The organization is committed to "helping people help people" through ethical charitable giving that promotes:
- Education and professional development for women and girls
- Financial education initiatives
- Healthcare support
- Cultural enrichment
- Emergency humanitarian aid
The Foundation's focus on women and girls emerged from a pivotal 2010 trip to Cambodia, where founder Deena Jo Heide-Diesslin questioned why educational initiatives were not equally benefiting girls alongside boys. This experience directly shaped the Foundation's commitment to organizations that advance women's empowerment and education globally.
Grantmaking
The Foundation operates through multiple gifting programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation supports organizations in:
- Fort Worth, Texas (hometown focus)
- Texas, New York, and Washington, D.C. (primary funding regions)
- International locations (global humanitarian initiatives)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $9,584,767–$9,641,667
- Total Revenue: $878,214
- Total Expenses: $1,388,976
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Total Giving: $583,700
Investment Income: $195,068 (2023)
The Foundation has been tax-exempt since February 2011 (EIN: 27-4319263).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,641,667 | $9,584,767 | $9,929,814 |
| Revenue | $1,124,527 | $878,214 | $224,468 |
| Expenses | $1,087,475 | $1,388,976 | $1,138,695 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $997,195 | $1,203,250 | $1,014,936 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,038,016 | $793,090 | $155,626 |
| Distributable Amount | $789,057 | $721,184 | $728,493 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Doctors Without Borders ($400,000), CFP Board of Standards ($105,000), Heifer International ($53,700).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CFP Board of Standards Washington, DC | General Support | $105,000 |
| Cancer Care Services FORT WORTH, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,000 |
| Heifer International Little Rock, AR | GENERAL SUPPORT | $53,700 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Matthew Motet McCord – Executive Director
- Edie Peplinski – Chief Operating Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| marinda Diesslin | President | 0.5 | — |
| Sally Diesslin | Vice president/SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| Carol Crochet | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BELINDA ODELL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MATTHEW MOTET MCCORD | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $152,107 |
| DAVID DIESSLIN | CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**January 2025:** The Foundation launched Manifest, a new in-kind gifting program providing free expert consultation and training to nonprofits.
**December 2024:** The Foundation announced emergency funds for Honduras following disaster relief needs.
**December 2024:** Médecins Sans Frontières was named the 2024 Rising Tide recipient, with the Board of Directors emphasizing humanitarian aid benefitting women and girls as a priority.
**Ongoing Partnerships:** The Foundation supports organizations including The Ladder Alliance, the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning (through The Deena Jo Heide-Diesslin Foundation Challenge Match Scholarship for CFP® certification candidates), and Doctors Without Borders.
Deena Jo Heide-Diesslin Foundation and CFP Board Center for Financial Planning\Contact Information
Email: info@thedjhdfoundation.com
Phone: 817-883-5526
Website: thedjhdfoundation.com
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation fund?
The Foundation's guiding principle is "a rising tide lifts all ships." The organization is committed to "helping people help people" through ethical charitable giving that promotes: • **Education and professional development** for women and girls • **Financial education** initiatives • **Healthcare support** • **Cultural enrichment** • **Emergency humanitarian aid** The Foundation's focus on women and girls emerged from a pivotal 2010 trip to Cambodia, where founder Deena Jo Heide-Diesslin ques…
How do I apply for a grant from The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation?
The Foundation operates through multiple gifting programs: An annual major grant program offering up to $400,000 to a selected nonprofit. The 2024 Rising Tide recipient was Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), selected for its humanitarian aid work benefitting women and girls amid global conflicts. A grantmaking program supporting organizations aligned with the Foundation's mission. A newer initiative launched in January 2025 that provides grants in kind by donating the time and …
Where does The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation make grants?
The Foundation supports organizations in: • **Fort Worth, Texas** (hometown focus) • **Texas, New York, and Washington, D.C.** (primary funding regions) • **International locations** (global humanitarian initiatives)
What size grants does The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation award?
In 2024, The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation awarded 4 grants totaling $584K — an average of about $146K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $789K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation's EIN?
The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4319263. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Deena Jo Heide-diesslin Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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